Small transverse disturbances on a taut string travel faster under greater tension and slower on a string with greater mass per unit length.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Read time
5 min
Prerequisites
Basic algebra, consistent units, and the stated model assumptions
Source
OpenStax, College Physics 2e, §16.9 (Paul Peter Urone and Roger Hinrichs)OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example. The textbook section reference was corrected.
Small transverse disturbances on a taut string travel faster under greater tension and slower on a string with greater mass per unit length. The wave speed differs from the motion of individual string particles.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Transverse wave propagation speed | ||
| Force (tension) | ||
| Linear Mass Density |
Estimate transverse-wave speed.
Compare wave speeds at different string tensions.
A string has tension 100 N and linear mass density 0.0400 kg/m. Find its small-amplitude transverse wave speed.
OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example. The textbook section reference was corrected.
Assumptions
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